December, from Twelve Months of Flowers n.d.

Henry Fletcher created "December, from Twelve Months of Flowers" using engraving, etching, and possibly some hand-colouring. The visual impression is one of controlled abundance, with a symmetrical arrangement of varied botanical specimens overflowing from a classical urn. Formally, the composition is structured to suggest nature tamed and organized. The graphic lines delineate each species, carefully labelled below, presenting a scientific order. Yet, this rational approach is tempered by the sheer multiplicity of forms and colours; whites, greens, reds, yellows and blues. This creates a tension between the desire to classify and the exuberant vitality of nature itself. The print exists within a tradition of botanical illustration, which sought to codify and categorize the natural world. The very act of arranging flowers, snipped from the natural world, speaks to the human desire to order and control nature. The print prompts us to consider the philosophical implications of seeking to categorize and contain the natural world through systems of signs. It raises questions about our relationship with the natural world.